Fine Art Photographs by Johnny Tang

Beautiful Meditations

Beautiful Meditations

2017

I’ve been trying to shoot a picture like this for years.

In 2011, I tried to burn 1000 origami cranes in my parents’ backyard during a blizzard. Except they wouldn’t burn (they got too wet). Since then, my dreamed of making a picture containing these elements: fire, snow, and origami; have remained just that – a dream.

Turns out I was missing a key ingredient – gasoline.

Balancing Trauma and Catharsis

This is my favorite kind of work to make, largely because I get to simultaneously create and destroy. I see this process as my way of channeling all the negative experiences in my life, and turning them into something positive.

I’ve often found that destructive impulses are much more satisfying to indulge in, when we get to safely destroy something we’re not supposed to. Particularly things that are very delicate and precious looking.